Valentine Cupcake Idea Round=up! + Hello, Cupcake!

For Valentines Day this year, E surprised me with an early present... and Guess what it was!?!?

THAT'S RIGHT... the CUTEST cookbook I've ever seen.  Hello, Cupcake! So, I decided to find all the helpful items I'll need to make some of these delightful confections and share them with you, so you can all make some awesome Valentine's day treats as well!

My favorite designs are the dirt + worms garden cupcakes.  They are absolutely adorable, with itty-bitty shovels stuck in the "dirt" next to sprouting carrots and peas made of various candies. 

And here, is What's New, Cupcake?  In case you already have Hello, Cupcake!
















For your favorite little princess at home... the sweetest little kit with flower baking cups and princess cake toppers!

A Cupcake TOWER Stand for presenting your creations at home!

And then, a great holder for travel!

 

And, to finish it off... these cute little boxes to transport gifts!

Gluten Free Wedding Cake in SoCal!

So, I've been scouring the web in search of gluten free wedding cake vendors in Southern California, and with the help of friends and fellow foodie bloggers, I've found a handful of extremely talented cake vendors capable of making gluten-free wedding cakes! 

Here's the shortlist:

1. Enjoy Cupcakes!- Amber made me the most delectable cupcakes this summer, and I'd love to use her for a cupcake topping bar. 
2. Helena Wirth Cakes- Has beautiful cake designs and amazing reviews from clients. 
3. Rossmoor Bakery/ Sensitive Baker- The Sensitive Baker and Rossmoor Bakery have recently announced a wedding cake collaboration!  Sensitive baker specializes in kosher, dairy free and gluten free baked goods, while Rossmoor specializes in beautifully decorated confections... match made in heaven.  I ordered my birthday cake from the Sensitive Baker this year, and it was absolutely fabulous.  
4. A Sweet Design- Recommended by my caterer, this bakery also has beautiful cake designs and great reviews from clients!

Summer Birthdays- Oh the Beauty of Lazy Weekend Events

This will likely be part 1 of a series on summer birthdays (and the summer is coming to a close already).  I've got a big family, and therefore lots of birthdays to celebrate!  Summer is great because these birthdays always end up lingering, and being celebrated for weeks... with barbeques, dinners, brunches and cakes.

In late July, we celebrated with the niece + Vicky.  (It was part one of the niece's 6th birthday celebration)... We had quite the feast on a mellow Sunday afternoon.  The star of the show was Enjoy Cupcake's beautifully crafted gems.  I had been dreaming of them forEVER, when Amber of Enjoy Cupcakes had tweeted that week about starting to experiment with gluten-free cupcakes.  I was instantly consumed with the thought of finally being able to taste these scrumptious looking goodies.  Hours later, the opportunity presented itself when RayRay (that's what my niece used to call him) told us that he'd be in Santa Barbara for the weekend, visiting on his maturing wine.  I took advantage of this information, and suggested that while he checked on his wine, he go pick us up some cupcakes as well.

Cinnamon Rolls- Gluten Free Goodies from Mariposa Bakery in SF

Nothing smells better in the morning than hot coffee and cinnamon rolls!  I miss the days of coming down the stairs to the smell of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls wafting up through the house.  Those were the days...  5 kids in the house, and mom making breakfast on a Sunday morning.

Photo credit: Mariposa Bakery

I don't know that I would love Pillsbury's as much as I once did.  But, I do know that I LOVE Mariposa Bakery's cinnamon rolls today just as much as I loved other cinnamon rolls growing up.  I have to thank the lovely B from Corque for introducing me to these bad boys.  Both times she's been up to the Bay area recently, she's stopped by Mariposa Bakery in the Ferry building to pick me up some goodies.

These little babies have a perfect crust that just is a little crunchy on top (exactly how I like it), and so ooey and gooey at the center.  They are not overly sweet, though they fill the apartment with the same cinnamon-y fullness that the buns of my childhood did.  Even after being frozen and defrosted in the toaster oven, the taste and consistency of the sweet, dripping icing is still intact.  On this fine Sunday Morning, these were the perfect pick-me-up.  I MAY have even dunked a little strand in my latte.  =)

The Mariposa cinnamon buns are both dairy free and gluten free, and are made from all natural ingredients.  If you didn't know, the Ferry Building in San Francisco has turned into a small haven of lovely gluten free treats.  I haven't been back up north in quite a few months, but I've heard much about the new additions to this building and area.  Check out this post, by G-free Goodie.  San Francisco is constantly taunting me with its great food and never ending imaginative additions. 

Ice Cream Maker = Summertime Magic!

Ok, so it's almost summer... and summer makes me feel like a little kid again.

In fact, I definitely haven't grown out of my little kid habits of eating massive quantities of ice cream and other frozen treats.  I remember eating frozen lemonade on the Boston Common before taking a swan boat ride.  And then, tricking my Dad into getting me a Ben & Jerry's cone afterward.  Oh, those were the days... the hot summer days (when I could still eat waffle cones) in Boston or on Cape Cod or Martha's Vineyard.  Well, let me just tell you that not much has changed.  I still eat my fair share of ice cream and smoothies.  =)

photo credit: www.thenibble.com

Celebrations! in Desserts and Flowers

Here's a little photo diary of the past few weeks... showcasing our desserts and flowers.  There have been numerous celebrations- from Birthdays to Anniversaries to Holidays.  There has been an extra Spring in everyone's step... maybe because of the weather?  Maybe because of the sugar?

Mother's Day Bouquet!